10 Essential Spider-Man Villains Not Yet Used In The Movies
2. Hobgoblin
Hobgoblin may seem an odd choice of villain for this list. After all, we're talking about a character who's never been seen as more than a second-rate Green Goblin knock-off. Not to mention that his backstory is such a confusing fustercluck that the "Hobgoblin" persona has been adopted by no fewer than eight different people (one of whom was the butler of a previous Hobgoblin).
However, it's precisely because of those qualities Hobgoblin would make a great villain for a modern Spider-Man film.
With the real world becoming increasingly swayed by extremist ideology and charismatic lunatics, having a group of villains inspired by the Green Goblin's insanity seems appropriate. A movie about a gang of Hobgoblins who preach alternative facts about the Green Goblin on social media and commit acts of violence in his name would feel particularly resonant given today's political climate.
DC have actually been exploring a similar storyline through the character of Punchline, a social media savvy sociopath who manipulates her followers into thinking Joker is the good guy. And as Black Cat and Boomerang (and Deadpool, Thanos, Hawkeye et al) have shown, when Marvel "take inspiration" from their competition it usually results in gold.